It was the lethal accuracy and man of the match show from Portaferry’s Ronan Blair, with a really spectacular 1-9 to his identify and the all-important penalty 4 minutes from time, that gave the Ports the title of Morgans Fuels Down SHC champions for 2022.
Things regarded bleak for Portaferry 12 minutes into the second-half, after having closed the deficit to a single level when Connor Mageean was given a straight pink.
However the title challengers held Ballycran to simply three scores for the remaining 20 minutes and atone for final yr’s bitter disappointment after they misplaced by two to Ballycran.
Beneath fixed rain and damp underfoot situations over 950 spectators at Páirc Esler eagerly waited for the sport to spark into life, as Portaferry rushed out to a four-point lead inside the primary 5 minutes.
Ballycran simply couldn’t break the resolute defending of Darragh Mallon within the nook and Tom Murray at full again,and it took a seventh minute Scott Nicholson free to get Ballycran in to motion.
Nonetheless, by the twenty fifth minute the edges have been degree at 0-6 apiece as Michael Ennis, Niall Breen & Scott Nicholson had pulled Ballycran again into the sport.
Ballycran now gave the impression to be getting the higher hand and by half-time they have been forward, 0-7 to 0-9 however finally couldn’t capitalize on their features for the second interval.
Portaferry began the second-half off nicely with Blair’s sixth level of the day inside the primary minute and a Daithí Sands level lowering the sport to only a single rating.
However then a second of pink mist noticed Mageean being despatched to the road, fortuitously for them Ballycran failed to attain on their subsequent two assaults as either side struggled to get their scores.
With 4 minutes to go Conor Fay obtained a go from Eoghan Sands and burrowed by means of the protection, however was pulled again by Brad Watson giving referee Peter Owens no choice however to award the penalty.
Blair stepped up and struck the penalty onerous and low to Stephen Keith’s proper and provides the Ports a three-point lead.
Ballycran desperately tried to ship the sport to additional time however may solely handle a degree with Blair ending of the day together with his fifth level from play and his ninth in complete for a well-deserved man of the match award.
Portaferry: P Smyth, D Mallon, T Murray, R Smyth, B Trainor, C Taggart, C Smyth, M Conlan, S Conlan, C O’Prey, C Mageean (0-1), R Blair (1-9, 1-0 pen, 0-5f), T McGrattan (0-1), D Sands (0-1), E Sands
Subs: F Turpin for S Conlan, C Fay for C O’Prey, N Milligan for T McGrattan
Ballycran: S Keith, B Watson, S Ennis, M Hughes (0-1), B Nicholson, C Woods (0-1, 0-1f), J Clarke, G Hughes, L Savage (0-2), S Nicholson (0-6, 0-5f), S Martin, A Gleeson, N Breen (0-2), B Arthurs, C Egan (0-1)
Subs: P Savage for S Martin, L Boyd for B Nicholson, P Hughes for J Clarke, C McAllister for A Gleeson.
Referee: Peter Owens